The centrepiece of our flat season is almost upon us, this time of year when our thoroughbreds have illustrated enough talent on the racecourse they now gain a chance at landing a big prize at Her Majesty's Royal Ascot. My first preview blog of the meeting quite logical focuses on the first day and it's my pleasure to outline my thoughts on the week ahead starting tonight.
The main news this week regarding Henry Cecil is extremely sad, as many have mentioned with wonderful prose regarding the publics favourite, a horse handler who cared for his animals with the midas touch and a trainer who had the ambition and determination to never say 'enoughs enough' even when he was down to around 40 horses in the early 2000's or the pressure and stress in his private life. He is and will always be remembered as a true gentleman and a phenomenal trainer. It's also worth noting that he had an absolute terryifyingly good record at Royal Ascot and it just wont be the same without him.
Royal Ascot Preview
Day 1
Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) (Str) (British Chmpion Series) 1 mile
Extremely exciting start to proceedings as we see the globetrotting Animal Kingdom heading over from America and who is trained by his extremely likeable trainer Graham Motion. Animal Kingdom who is out of his sire Leroidesanimaux which translates from French as 'King of the Animals'. He was bred in Brazil and of European bloodlines that traditionally ran on turf. His dam Dalicia was German-bred and never raced on dirt. I find this extremely interesting as it seems that Animal Kingdom goes on any ground, he won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 on the dirt, he finished 2nd in the Preakness and won this years Dubai World Cup on the synthetic dirt track, now can he revert this diversity to the turf. He is undoubtedly the class angle in the race and has the form to suggest that the mile trip on turf will pose no real problems against opposition who will find it very hard to land a blow.
However, history dictates that it's not alway as simple as that and Animal Kingdom is short enough without previous experience of a UK track on turf and it may indeed pay to play a bigger priced runner who has solid place claims and may even be better than that on his day. My other interesting selection who fits the bill on ability, progression and recent form falls to Sovereign Debt. This Dark Angel grey colt seems to be progressing after only two starts this season. Finishing a credible second in the Lockinge last time out, four lengths behind Farhh which could arguably be the strongest form on offer. On that occasion he finished in front of Declaration of War, Aljamaheer, Chil the Kite, Penintent and Reply. The trainer Michael Bell is an excellent handler and I'd actually love to see Hayley Turner take the ride, she has ridden this colt before and deserves a high profile ride such as this one. Sovereign Debt as mentioned previously is a four year old who is still unexposed and undoubtedly can make progress this season. It also seems that ground doesn't really matter, he has performed well on all types and has put up some of his best performances at the track where he has won twice and finished 2nd on his penultimate start. In summary I like his profile, I like his recent form and I believe he is a progressive type who has the potential to figure here.
King Stand Stakes (Group 1) (Bristish Champion Series and Global Sprint Challenge) (Group 1) 5f
The King's Stand is a race I find extremely fascinating year on year. This always appeals to the international market as yet again we have some foreign invaders trying to take the crown much like Little Bridge managed to do last year. Shea Shea heads the market here and the globetrotting superstar from South Africa has done nothing but show a clean pair of heels to all his rivals on recent starts. Indeed, I was present to see him break the track record at the Dubai World Cup evening. Shea Shea is highly regarded by the trainer Mike De Kock and this is a man who has raided many big prizes across the world and shows his class in getting his horses bang in shape at the right time. If the ground is on the firm side and he stalks the leaders and gets a good tow into the race then I see him as being almost impossible to beat, he seems to do his best work in the final furlong and he is undoubtedly a strong finisher. He quite rightly heads the market.
Again, if we believe the price is short enough and with a lack of experience within the UK it is ultimately too tempting not to look elsewhere. Robert Cowell is an excellent handler and is a man who knows how to get sprinters ready for the cavalry charge which will undoubtedly ensue once the gates open here. He saddles three Kingsgate Native, Spirit Quartz and Prohibit who took this race 2011 in terrific style and who is certainly on a comeback trail. Spirit Quartz is another progressive classy type, he's by Invincible Spirit and is owned by Qatar Racing Limited who sent him to Dubai on the world stage back in March, on that performance he found a few too good and may of found the Meydan track not to his liking but is still a thoroughly classy enough horse to take this. But it's Kingsgate Native who out of the three has the strongest chance and looks to be back to his best. It's safe to say that at the age of eight he surely lacks a bit of scope and progression but he simply is back to the form of his life and with his highest of rating of 118 a couple of seasons ago illustarting his class then his current mark of 110 coupled with his current form points to him potentially making that mark once again and if that's the case then he certainly will be in with a great chance. He'll love the quick ground and it seems his current jockey Shane Kelly is getting an excellent tune out of him.
St James's Palace Stakes (British Champion Series) (Group 1) (Rnd) 1 mile
With the news of Dawn Approach being involved in the race this week it really is now one of the best renewals I can remember. Dawn Approach on Derby day found something not to his liking, it may have been something psychological or something else but I've seen him in the paddock before and he honestly looks the spit of his Dad but acts nothing like him. I also saw him before his run in the Coventry last year at Royal Ascot and the same can be said, a calm, collected juvenile who oozed a sense of contempt for his rivals as all good thoroughbreds do. Dawn Approach over the mile will find this the correct trip for him, he has speed on his dam side in the form of Phone Trick and has a perfect mix of stamina to keep himself galloping all the way to the line over the 1 mile trip. It's quite simple really, his form to date has shown what a top level miler he will turn out to be, the pressure to run him in the Derby by his owners led him down a route which in the cold light of day probably was the wrong way to go, although we will never know now if he can manage the mile and a half trip. That run aside in the derby he is your typical progressive high level colt who will I'm sure be globetrotting this season or next, that though will depend on his successes and the his already potential expensive value at stud. Dawn Approach is a monster over this trip, his trainer is in spendid form and if he settles then I'm afraid when he strikes the 2 furlong marker the rest will be left in his wake. It has always surprised me the excitement and the expectation of wonder found in Jim Bolgers voice when he talks about this horse, the enthusiasm is all encompassing and I believe he will be very hard to beat.
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